The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow: but Rosenborg doesn't smile

The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow said H.G. Wells, but how does it take this crisis? Another draw for Rosenborg , which has only two points after two rounds. The draw was less dramatic than the one in the first round, but very irritating. The only extenuating circumstances may be two : the field factor and obviously the opposing team, wich yesterday was in a very fine form. A draw that is actually tight for Aalesund , that could  have won the game If it had not been for the skills of Lund Hansen ( on Saturday author of at least two small miracles) and the imprecision of the striker Barrantes ( like Berisha  in the game against the Viking Barrantes was very inspired). The match begins immediately in the worst way for Rosenborg , who in the ninth minute is forced to replace the right fullback Cristian Gamboa for an injury (it should be out 4-6 weeks) with Skjelvik , author of a bad first half on the first journey against Viking . In the first few minutes should have been read the plot of the match: the hosts did high pressure and prevented the build up of Rosenborg actions , and then closed themselves in defense when the team from Trondheim overcame his half of the field. The whole game was played on this scheme, and the music was directed by Aalesunds, whereas we would have expected a game administered by Rosenborg . The counterattacks by Aalesunds were deadly for the team from Trondheim, who suffered terribly in defense , as he had suffered terribly against Viking . The couple Reginiussen - Ronning offers really very few guarantees, and if we will have not a good substitute the season will take a turn for the worst. The coach Mr.Per Joar Hansen is already risking the dismissal, with his strange ideas about football. He showed the team saturday with a new 4-2-3-1 instead of the usual 4-3-3 , but the hosts constructed actions of attack, not Rosenborg , which was struggling to recover, and remained entangled in the net made by Aalesund . Aalesund was dangerous since the beginning of the match: after the first ten minutes, began to attack with more continuity; at 13 ' Barrantes missed an almost penalty on the move, sending the ball just outside the right post. At 21 ' Pedersen was picked up on time by James , who found himself face to face with Hansen, who made a miracle rejecting the ball. Barrantes pounced on the rebound but took the ball with a bad impact and Hansen could throw the ball out. Rosenborg was slow on the counterattacks , and Aalesund had so many time to close in on the defense. The few chances we had ended with weak and central shots. At 30 ' James was once again pulling undisturbed from the edge of the box , having in front of him Ronning, that still does not find his best form. Two minutes later Barrantes again went close to score , but the ball came out . Only in the last minutes of the first half Rosenborg started to become dangerous, and a great shot at the last second by Riski went off. The second half opened with an incredible opportunity for Aalesund : four our players lost the ball in midfield, which was recovered by James . The Nigerian feed the ball to Barrantes, that was face to face with Hansen, but sent the ball high and hit the bar . At this point the Rosenborg seemed to wake up , and came with more continuity and ideas in the hosts midfield . When the Rosenborg was attacking with many intensity , Aalesund scored, with a counterattack orchestrated by Barrantes , who ran along the whole right wing , made the cross for James, who badly stopped the ball, so he passed it to Larsen wich undisturbed kicked the ball with a powerful shot that Hansen couldn't save 1-0 . The situation was harder for Rosenborg, because Aalesund more than before could express its way of playing, closing itself in defense and making counterattacks with Barrantes or James . Mr. Hansen so decided to change something and entered Soderlund in place of a tired Mikkelsen , author of a poor match. Perry then returned to his favorite 4-3-3 , with Bille shifted on the wing and Soderlund as pivot . The home team seemed to be very tired, and was no longer able to make counterattacks as it did before , but on the other hand also Rosenborg did not seem to be alert. Then came an unexpected gift : at 74 ' by a lack of Aalesund , Chibuike recovered the ball , passed it for Soderlund that feed the ball to Riski , who kicked and sent the ball to the inferior corner of the net : 1-1 , Rosenborg drew with his mysterious object . We should have made many attacking actions to find the opening goal , but it did not come. The two teams were tired and the final minutes of the match were not as fun as you might have expected . Only at 91 ' Rosenborg had a good chance to score , with Reginiussen , which was so close to scoring on a free kick with his head. Therefore ended the match at the Color Line, where Aalesund stopped Rosenborg on 1- 1. Still goes on the crisis of Rosenborg . More than results, the most dramatic problem is caused by the lack of a way of playing; Mr. Hansen seems to have no idea about what to do, how to play, how to prepare tactically the match , and we're only in the second round. Rosenborghas reached a critical juncture in its season. We all hope something go better in future.

Rosenborg-Odd 1-3

....

You cannot see a good team in the pre-season but... I really hope that we play in this way because we are not fit. But Perry said that soon we would have been really fit. I'm starting not believing it.

It was a year we didn't lose in Abra Hallen, but against Odd we did. 
Something that jumped out it was that on the opponents cross we couldn't take the ball at all. And it's a great problem, maybe one of the main problem of this team.
Perry still wants Dorin as central defender, but he cannot play there at all! Not only for the owngoal, but also because he's not able to move in that zone. Dorsin played for a life as a fullback, and now, that's finishing his career, he cannot settle into central defense.
We were carried by the Odd, that did most of the game. Before the owngoal they crossed perhaps twice, and took us unprepared, untill finally they scored. In a previous chance for them, the forward was lonely in the area, and easily could head, but he didn't take the net. Dorsin wasn't able to mark the forwards, lost his position, but he wasn't the only one. Skjelvik too did the same thing in the second goal, but I'll talk about it later on.
We were absent minded, but maybe something was clear: we have not players in the role they are best. 
Bille cannot play as a wing, as I said Bille can play as pivot, maybe at most as playmaker (but we have Chibber that's the best in that role).
Soderlund... I'd rather not to talk about him.
Riku disappeared. He did only one good match then vanished. I really hope he soon get fit. Because i hope the all team isn't fit.
But it was also a problem the concerned all the squad, because Gamboa too easily was overcomed by the opponents. 
After the second goal we lost our minds, and the situation got out of our hands, and happened the Orlund presented the goal for the 0-3, passing the ball to the opponents.
But maybe the real main problem is that without Chibuike we aren't in the match. But we cannot play every match with Chibuike at the top, also because Chubike won't be able to play every match at the top (we saw it in the last season: as he got out of fit, we lost the league).
I think this season could be the last season of Mr. Hansen, I hope. Because, yes these are friendlies, but something jumped out in this pre-season, tattically, is that we don't have a midfield. The opponents easily overcomed our midfield, and the matches we won, was because we had Chibuike that was the only one that ran, intercepted the ball at midfield, and passed the ball to the forwards. But, as I said, we cannot relyed on him. 
But the society gave us a present for this loss, we bought Gamst, a youngester.
Seriously, the experts says that he can be the difference beetwen the gold medal and the silver one. Are we fighting for any medals? I didn't see it...
He's a man with experiences, he's a wing, well-know because he played for almost ten years in the Balckburn. He's expertises, yes, but we have three wings (Riku, Helland and Mikkelsen) and I cannot see him as a regular. Yes, indeed, he's a good player, but this is the king of the problem in this society: we don't have money to buy anyone. It's useless to complain, we should turn back to 2004, and take the philosophy that Hoftun gave away. We have to focus on the youngsters, in order to create a competitive team, like we were many years ago.

Zibaldone - 25 Feb 2014 (Waiting for Rosenborg- Odd)

Few considerations about the match we are going to play against the Odd. First of all this is the squad, the starting line-up

Orlund-Gamboa, Moe, Strandberg, Skjelvik- Jensen,Mix, Berntsen- Bille, Søderlund, Riski

1) Perry understood that Mikkelsen couldn't be a fullback (fortunatly) and put Gamboa in the place of the wing forward. As we can see Dorsin is out of the starting line-up, so Perry give Moe the chance to show him off. Moe said that he's much improved during the last season, and so he's sure he can do very well this year. Perry several times in this friendlies rejected Moe as central defendor, preferring Dorsin, that instead is a fullback. Now Moe can shows him off, and we are all hoping he can demonstrate what he's able to do in the field.

2) We have, also in this match, injuried so many players: Reginiussen and Selnaes (as you can read here) but we have still injuried Strandberg, that probably won't play against Odd. What I wonder is: why we have so many players injuried? This is a great problem, and I think could be a big danger all along the season. We haven't many players indeed, and so if we have injuried the only players able to play, we are out of the games. I have to remind that this summer we have to play the european qualifications for the Europe League, and going in this way we won't able to do great thing (remembering also that in summer Mix and Gamboa will be out for the World Cup)

3) Berntsen said he's ready to compete with Selnaes and Mix for a role in midfield. I saw Berntsen in the last match against Sudnsvall: yes, he didn't drive me crazy, but at the end did a nice match. But I don't know how he can compete with Mix and Selnaes. He can compete maybe with the last one, but just because he's always injuried (it's just a joke, I'm hoping we can have him soon of course )

4) Riski did very bad according to me the last match, maybe against Odd can show him as the player we hope he is. Fast, precise and insidious. Not like the last matches. I'd rather have Helland as pivot and not Soderlund, but, let's see what he can do. Seeing this squad (the strikers sector) it comes to my mind that during the match the module can change. Starting with a 4-3-3 he can become a 4-3-2-1 or a 4-2-3-1 with Bille as playmaker, however he can play behind the two forwards. Maybe Perry put Soderlund because he saw that every cross in the area was sliced by the forwards, nobody took the ball. Soderlund maybe can do this kind of job.

Rosenborg-Sundsvall 0-0

As I said in the last post, we had problem with some players, that couldn't play because they were injuried. They were Mix, Reginiussen, Saelnes, Soderlund and Strandberg. So we played with the usual squad (4-3-3) but as fullback Mikkelsen, and Berntsen from the beginning. The other "new" thing was Dorsin as centrale defender, but we've seen him in that role in other matches yet.

It was a very boring match, of course, but we must trust Mr. Hansen, who said that he's preparing the team to gradually improve during the season. I wish he's right. 

In order to analyse this match I will consider three players: Mikkelsen, Bille and Chibuike.

Mikkelsen

No, if Perry had any doubt about Mikkelsen as a substitute for Gamboa during the World Cup, I sincerely hope that he has quickly realized that the thing cannot be done. Mikkelsen is a forward, not a fullback, and it was clear during the match. He was ever in attack, and rarely came back in defense when opponents attacked ("attacked", tried to create some small problem to us, just to create a minimum of show).

They easily overcame him, like in one occasion for them, when Mikkelsen sliced the ball with the head and the opponent went in the area. Fortunatly the opponent wasn't CR7, so he didn't score.

Perry understood the problem Mikkelsen could create in that role, so he made him go in attack, replacing Riku with Gamboa in the second half.

Obviously Perry had to do this, because Riku never entered in the field yesterday, he was really out of the game. He slept all the time, and when he took the ball, every time did the wrong thing. It was really incredible, and of course he was replaced. 

But the problem reamin: who can replace Gamboa? Dorsin is used as substitute of Reginiussen, and we haven't a real fullback who can replace Gamboa this summer. If he won't buy someone in the next transfer market, safe bet we'll run the risk of coming to a bad end.

Bille

Bille, according to me, is an excellent player, if he wants to. But in that squad (4-3-3) he rarely find a good position to play. During the match he often played as playmaker 

(untill Chibuike came in replacing an absent Svensonn), but when he had to come into the area (in order to take the ball with the head and then score) he didn't do it, and nobody took the ball that Helland or Mikkelsen crossed. 

I think it's better to play with a 4-2-3-1, because with the 4-3-3 we can win only if we meet weak teams or the midfielder go into the area to score. But this rarely happen with our pkayers, Chibuike is a good player, but he stopped himself when he has the ball, in the borderline of the area, and seldom he come inside. Mix the same, is more a halfback, and Berntsen, as we saw yesterday, like Chibuike, doesn't come into the area. The only one who can do this is Bille, but isn't in a good mood I think, and the other one is Soderlund. I'd rather not to talk about Soderlund.

Chibuike

Just few words about Chibuike. He brings the light in the team when he plays. Yesterday, as he entered, made only good passes; and as playmaker, he was an excellent assist-man. We've to make him resign the contract with Rosenborg, very soon, because without him, it will be very hard to win something.

Rosenborg - Djurgarden 2-1

We won. It was a very boring match but we won. Since the pre-season started, we won three matches, drawn one, and loss one. At Abra-Hallen the last time we drew against the Kristiansund.

It's very hard to do an analysis of the match, it was very boring, and I've to admit that the field, the place, makes the match more boring than it actually was.

The first half was well-balanced, the Djurgarden attacked, but they didn't create many problems. We tried to have counter-attacks but we didn't take advantage of our chances. As usual.

Riku ran, ran, ran, overcame the opponents, it was all right, but at the time of the cross, punctually, he missed it. It was incredible when a mate intercepted the ball, made the counter-attack, then fed the ball to Riku that missed the cross. Again. 

Later in the match he had a good chance to score. He ran, overcame the opponent, he shifted into the center, kicked, but it was a very weak shot. Useless. Not a good day for him. Like Bille. Bille too missed a lot of passes yesterday, and it wasn't concentrated.

We weren't very cinycal, just for change, at all, and inconclusive too. We were able to make crosses from the wings, but nobody took the ball. In theory we would have a striker in the middle area. However not very often.
I repeat, I'm in trouble to make an anaylisis, because the match was very boring and both teams were inconclusive. They took the ball at midfield, ran, and missed the last shot.

The goal-action started with Mix, that with a good kick passed the ball to Bille, that cross (finally a good cross) inside the area; Riku didn't take the ball and Soderlund scored, with a powerfull kick. If he scored in this way (but also: "if he scored" and stop) even in the important matches, we would be a great step forward.

Then on the developments of a free kick, there was a cross in the area, Riku, I don't know why, maybe he was afraid of the ball?, let the ball overcome him, then a mate crossed inside and Soderlund, really?, didn't take the ball (this time he was a bit difficult to score, I''ve to admit it)

After the goal we ruled the match, really, but we built actions that I already knew since the beginning that would have ended badly.

The second half started with us in attack. Jensen like such in a serpentine overcame the opponents, passed the ball to Gamboa that crossed, of course nobody took the ball in the area, Soderlund was drinking a coffee I think and hope, the ball came to the other side, another cross, needless to say Soderlund was just drinking the coffee, and the ball came again to Gamboa. Tne goalkeeper denied the joy of the goal for the Costarican player.

There was a chance to score for the opponents. The ball in the area, Svensonn let the opponent to take the ball, (perhaps he had forgotten how to protect the ball), but fortunatly the ball didn't come in. 

Then we scored the second goal on a penalty, generously granted by the referee, that Bille couldn't failed. So, indeed, he scored.

But we couldn't end the match without concede a goal. Hansen took care about it. The N. 7 kicked, and Lund allowed the ball to come in.

A useless match, it was "important" 'cause we saw changes in the squad. Dorsin played as a central defender. Perry is satisfied with his performance. He said that Dorsin seemed he was always been a central defender.

Svensonn played as a fullback, in place of Dorsin. It's very hard to say if he played good or not. He did his job.

I'm a bit disappointed with Riku, because I saw he's very fast, but today he demonstrated that he's a bit selfish and he's not very able to finalize the action.

About Soderlund he say this season will be a good season for him, instead of the last one. If he still continues to play in this way, I'm very doubtfull about it. He's happy because he really scored finally this year (at La Manga he scored with a penaly), and it was a good goal, but he had to take more ball into the area. We paid him a lot, we claim great performances every time.

Daniel Berntsen, according to me, did a good match, as far as I could see. 

Rosenborg - Costuleni 3-0. Copa del Sol is over

Yes, we were already out of the tournment before this match, but we played very well indeed. I could see how the team has really enjoyed it. The line-up was the usual 4-3-3, with the three forward that were Mikkelsen, Riku and Soderlund, like the first match against Astra. 
We had several opportunities throughout the course of the match. Such occasions we have had playing a very fast game ( a kind of game that has become the prerogative of Rosenborg) , in an offensive way and running a lot on the wings, but in the meantime we did not neglected the defensive phase. The Costuleni had only one opportunity to score with a header from a corner kick , but the defense has been able to clean up. Rosenborg on the other hand had two great occasions with Soderlund , the better of the first half according to me , which attempted to score with a header in the middle of the penalty area , and later took the bar with a powerful shot . In the second half there was no match : Rosenborg covered well all over the field , with numerous entries inside the area of the midfielder and building a good game, based (after Bille entered) on a filtering passes. The Danish has been able to juggle the ball in midfield , playing behind the wings forward , Sørloth and Riski.
Mr. Hansen has therefore changed, in the course of the match, the line-up , playing with a 4-3-1-2 , which allowed the construction of all three goals . Since Bille came in the Rosenborg has shown more dangerous.

The first goal was scored by Strandberg. There was a corner kick, Strandberg headed the ball and scored the 1-0. Since then only the Rosenborg seemed to play the match. 
The second goal was scored by Bille: Helland took the ball in the area, then passed the ball behind to Bille that shoted a powerful kick and the keeper couldn't do anything to save the ball. 
The action that led to the third goal was started (just for a change) by Bille, who fed the ball to Helland, that made a lob and scored easily.

We made three goal in almost ten minutes, then the match went over: the Costuleni didn't anything to score and Rosenborg controlled the game. 

We went out of the tournment because Astra won against AIK (we would come out of the tournament because we had also lost the head to head against the Astra), but we had played a good match, we won easily, I've to admit, and I liked the way the players played. I'm a bit doubtful about the red card to Strandberg, I didn't understand very well why the referee did it. 

I know that this matches (pre-season friendly matches) are not very important (they aren't important at all) but indeed (like all the other friendly matches all over the world, of course) they're very important to understand what kind of line-up is better to win the matches of our league, or to win in Europe, in order to go in Europa League. I think that the newcome Riski will be very usefull. I'm very doubtful (and I was already the last season) about Soderlund as first string, but Mr Hansen played in this few friendly with him as regular. I'm very happy that Chibuike didn't leave us in this transfer market, because he's very important as playmaker, but also as halfback. With a 4-3-1-2 we are more dangerous on the wings, thanks to players that run a lot, and are able to overcome the opponents easily (like Helland) and with this line-up we're very dangerous also with Bille that is more free to create the actions and make opportunities to score. Chibuike is able to run, create opportunities and intercept balls. The only great problem that I saw also the last season, is that we get tired in the last league matches. This year, then, there is also the World Cup, which will see us without key players such as Mix and Gamboa. We must be careful not to waste our energies at once, in the first few games (this is a task that must be able to do the technical staff),  and it is essential to buy some important reserves in the summer market. Lastly, I think this should be the line-up:






                                            Orlund

Gamboa                 Strandberg         Reginiussen              Dorsin
                            (Moe)                                                (Skjelvik)  

         
     Chibuike                             Mix                                 Svensonn
                                                                                   (Strandberg)                                   

                                             Bille
Helland                                                                   Riski                         
(Soderlund)                                                             (Mikkelsen)

Copa del Sol: Rosenborg - Astra Giurgiu, first defeat

Who is the blame? The third red shirt or the players? 

I think I've an answer. We were wrong in the interpretation of the match. The early stages of the game were not so bad, but we were weak  and they were more physically strong and determined than us. In fact the opponenents had the first opportunity, caused by an error in defence (so many mistakes in this match in defence, we tried to play the ball above us in the penalty area, or near it, in order to have a counter-attack, but instead we lost the ball and made the opponents have opportunities). Fortunately they erred the shot, and Orlund made a save.

We have continued to leave too much space for opponents, like in a corner kick, where they tried a shot from the border of the penalty area and they made an off target shot.

We reacted with Skjelvek, that took the ball neat the border of the penalty area and passed the ball to Svensson that made an assist in the penalty area for Soderlund, that missed the shot.

In this first half it was clear that we were good at taking ball to the opponents, in our 3/4 half field, but we were slow in the counter-attack phase, we missed the ball in their 3/4, because they were quick to place themselves in defence, and they closed all the spaces. We played a poor play, we were not determined, and the only two players that were moving and were doing well were the newcomer Riku Riski and Gamboa, that will have a good second half.

In the second half we made substitutions. In Bille and Dorsin, out Soderlund and Skjelvik.

But in the second half we were still not determined, the Astra instead was in the match. Bille tried to made an assist but Mikkelsen wasn't able to take the ball and go to score. The Astra was determined more than us, in fact they scored with Seto. Our defence were motionless, static, and Seto, instead of pass the ball, tried to shot, Orlund didn't expect that shot and couldn't make a save. 

We were so slow in attack, the opponents gave us many meters to advance but we stopped in their half field, and the only one that tried to move and create opportunity was Riku Riski, but the others were stopped, and didn't make anything to help him. The other one that tried to make opportunity was Gamboa, that tried to shot, starting from the lateral bands and going to the center, like Riku did all along the match, then kicked the ball, but he took the internal post, and the ball went through the borderline but didn't enter in the goal.

It was clear that we had to try to play in the lateral bands, Mr Hansen indeed standed in Helland for Mikkelsen, in order to create opportunity with Riku, also making corner for Bille. It didn't happen. As usual we were very good to overcome the midfield, but we were wrong to create opportunities, playing in the middle and not passing the ball to Riski or Helland. The only one that tried to do this was Gamboa.

Finally, there wasn't a good match, at all, and I think if we don't change our line-up we can't win. We have to play in the lateral bands, that's clear, and that's why we bought Riku, to overcome the opponents on the wings, and cross in the middle for the head of Bille. The same Helland has to do, with his speed, but we still go on this way, and according to me, we still go to lose. Ok, Astra is a good team, but we've to return in Champions League, and in this way, we will not enter in the Europa League, next summer. How can we go on?

www.rbk.no

Una brutta amichevole. Perché non passare ad un 4-2-3-1?

Ok, era soltanto un'amichevole, ma lo spettacolo che è andato in onda è stato a dir poco brutto. Partita noiosa, lenta, e soprattutto giocata male. Ok, era una amichevole, ma non si può andare sotto contro il  Kristiansund, e non in quella maniera. 

A dire la verità in vantaggio c'era andato il Rosenborg, di testa su calcio di punizione, ma il gol è stato, non si sa perché, annullato. Su calcio d'angolo invece a segno ci va il Kristiansund, con Ulvestad al minuto 13. La difesa ha completamente dormito e ha lasciato che la palla entrasse in rete. 
La reazione del Rosenborg non arriva immediatamente, e c'è il rischio che il Kristiansund vada di nuovo in rete con una rabona di Kalludra al limite dell'area di rigore, che passa la palla a Mendy il quale, più che tirare, passa la palla ad Orlund.

Finalmente arriva la reazione del Rosenborg: Helland parte palla al piede e lancia la palla a Mikkelsen, il quale la passa indietro per Chibuike che tira. La palla viene parata da Valderhaug. 

Al 21' il pareggio firmato su punizione da Helland: non molto attento Valderhaug, che tocca la palla ma non riesce ad impedire che entri. 

Altra azione del Rosenborg, che recupera palla a centrocampo; Helland oggi in veste di fantasista, imposta l'azione, passando la palla a sinistra per Chibuike che cambia gioco, lanciando verso Mikkelsen, il quale perde l'attimo buono ed è costretto a rientrare sul sinistro, passando la palla al centro; palla che arriva a Jensen, che spara addosso al portiere. 

Ora il Rosenborg sembra (finalmente) dominare la gara, con scambi veloci di palla, cambi di gioco, e tutto grazie ad un Helland in veste quasi di regista. A fine primo tempo il Kristiansund avrebbe la possibilità di pareggiare, ma per fortuna del Rosenborg non sembra che sia la squadra più irresistibile del mondo...

Nel secondo tempo il Rosenborg attacca ma non riesce mai ad infilare il pallone dentro, problema che si è ripetutamente visto durante le ultime partite di campionato. Va bene che questa è un'amichevole, ma è significativo che non siamo cinici in attacco. Una curiosità è data dal cambio di numero di Nicki Bille Nielsen, che ha ceduto il suo numero 9 al nuovo arrivato Riku Riski prendendo il 14.

Mister Hansen inserisce anche molti giovani, uno di loro (Sorloth) arriva vicino al gol di testa, ma la palla da distanza ravvicinata finisce fuori, alta sopra la traversa. 

Il Rosenborg non segna, ma lo fa il Kristiansund, all'80' con Sivertsen: un tiro al volo d'esterno da dentro l'area di rigore che finisce alla sinistra di Hansen (il secondo portiere del Rosenborg). 

Ma il vantaggio dura solo tre minuti, grazie ad una buona azione concretizzata dal destro di Nielsen, che non lascia scampo al portiere.

La partita finisce così, 2-2. Un 2-2 che non lascia né soddisfatti né arrabbiati, uno scialbo 2-2, dovuto soprattutto alla poca cattiveria messa in campo (ma d'altronde era anche normale, dato che era un'amichevole). 

E' anche difficile fare delle considerazioni tecniche, forse l'unica cosa che posso dire è una domanda a mr. Hansen: perché non passare ad un 4-2-3-1? Si è visto anche durante l'anno quanto fosse difficile per il Rosenborg affrontare partite delicate con squadre che si chiudono in difesa, e forse il 4-3-3 non è la soluzione migliore, dato che i tre davanti, come si è visto, si pestano un po' i piedi, e tolgono spazio a Nielsen, che è il giocatore su cui fare affidamento.

L'intervista a Riku Riski

E' uscita oggi sul canale ufficiale di Youtube del Rosenborg BK l'intervista integrale a Riku Riski, il neo acquisto del team di Trondheim, numero 11 della Nazionale Finlandese.

Quanto pensi sia importante la forza mentale per un giocatore?

Penso sia molto importante, specialmente quando devi giocare partite difficili ed ogni settimana. Se vuoi raggiungere alti livelli devi necessariamente avere una grande forza mentale.

Qual è il tuo ricordo più bello legato al calcio?

Probabilmente quando ho vinto la Coppa di Finlandia con il Turun Palloseura nel 2010. Fu il mio primo trofeo vinto da quanto ho cominciato a giocare come professionista, quindi fu un bel ricordo.

Preferisci segnare o fare assist?

Penso che non ci sia emozione e soddisfazione più grande di segnare un gol per la propria squadra.

Come ti motivi prima della gara?

Io non ho bisogno di motivarmi, sono già motivato dal momento in cui entro in campo. Però mi aiuto con la musica spesso. Adoro il rap e l'hip-hop finlandese, ad esempio, e mi aiutano molto a concentrarmi.

Come hai reagito alla proposta del Rosenborg?

Quando me ne ha parlato il mio agente sono stato molto felice dell'offerta, il Rosenborg è una grande squadra quindi non potevo rifiutare.

Che differenze ci sono fra i campionati polacco, finlandese, svedese e norvegese?

Ci sono molte differenze, specialmente in Finlandia dove non c'è una cultura calcistica sentita come in Svezia o in Polonia. In tutti questi campionati i media sono molto attenti al calcio, in Finlandia no, anche se sta crescendo il livello di calcio seguito, e anche di quello giocato. E' difficile poi giocare in paesi che hanno così tanto agonismo, come già detto in Finlandia stiamo ancora un po' indietro, ma stiamo arrivando.

Sappiamo che sei un grande tifoso di Hockey: chi pensi che vincerà la NHL (il campionato di Hockey statunitense e canadese n.d.r) quest'anno?

Io sono un grande tifoso di Tampa Bay, e quest'anno la squadra potrebbe fare molto bene, ma ci sono altre squadre che forse sono più forti. Sarà dura, speriamo bene!

Parliamo di birra: preferisci la Dahls Pils (birra prodotta a Trondheim) o la Lapin Kulta (birra finlandese)?

Ah, bella domanda, ma non ricordo più il sapore della Lapin, è da tanto che non la bevo. Dovrei prima tornare in Finlandia, berla e poi potrò risponderti.

Qual è la posizione migliore per te sul campo?

Sicuramente in attacco, meglio sulla fascia sinistra. Sono molto veloce, posso fare molto male agli avversari

Che ne pensi del Molde (acerrima rivale del Rosenborg)?

Penso sia una buona squadra, e ha fatto bene gli anni scorsi. Ma io penso che quest'anno saremo più forti.

Esulteresti se segnassi all'Honefoss (ex squadra di Riku)?

Probabilmente un po' sì, anche se nutro comunque rispetto per quella squadra.